


Why Can't We Be Friends?

by onepieceofharry



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Fluff, Gen, Kid Fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-12
Updated: 2018-02-12
Packaged: 2019-03-17 02:17:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,167
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13649376
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/onepieceofharry/pseuds/onepieceofharry
Summary: from this prompt: Teenager/young adult Tony annoying the piss out of the Winter Soldier, which triggers Bucky to resurface





	Why Can't We Be Friends?

Normally Tony, even as the eight year old he is now, would have a bit of apprehension with a stranger climbing through his window but all that discarded the second he saw the glint of moonlight on a sleek metal surface.

Robot arm. 

With a squeal of delight Tony frantically shoves the covers down and kicks them off before leaping towards the intruder with intent. He falls a couple times on his way there but he’s just... so... _excited._

“Hey you!” 

The man decked out in mostly black barely shifts as Tony all but barrels into him. He stops just an inch from the arm, not letting his gaze stray from the shifting metal panels as the man moves, the shine buffed bright like sterling silver, and the clenching and unclenching of long thick (steel?) fingers-

“Can I touch mister? Please? I’ll be careful I promise I won’t break it I’ll be good just let me touch-”

Tony is already reaching forward and making grabby hands at the strange man’s arm despite asking for permission which the man quickly moved away from him. He strolled towards his bedroom door, but Tony couldn’t let him leave. Tony wasn’t allowed to leave his room, if the man with the wicked cool metal arm left then Tony couldn’t follow and then where would he be.

Scurrying as quickly as his short - _average-sized_ \- legs would carry him he shoves past the man and beats him to the door, slamming it shut and locking the latch.

“Please!” He begs, holding his hands together plaintively. “Please mister! You can’t leave before I don’t at least touch it! I won’t take it apart or anything like that - I mean, if you think that’s okay then I definitely want to - but I at least need to touch it! I’ve never seen anything like it before and Jarvis says I’m not allowed to leave my room after bedtime so if you leave then I can’t follow but I might anyways but if I _do_ I’ll get in so much trouble so please mister could you just make my birthday wish come true? It’s my birthday, did I mention that? So by the laws of humanity you’re basically _required_ to let me-”

“Jesus fucking Christ kid do you ever shut up?”

Tony shuts up as basically commanded of him, letting his eyes widen and his body shrink slightly to make what mom calls “puppy dog eyes” to beg for him.

The man looks around suddenly, as if we has no idea where he is and Tony starts to fear he’s stupid.

But then the man starts to shake the way Tony does at thunder storms or when dad raises his voice and Tony knows what that means.

“Hey hey it’s okay I don’t have to touch it it’s not really my birthday I just made that up to see the robot arm - _your_ robot arm and that’s really cool Mister so don’t be sad please I’ve never seen anyone have an arm like that before you’re one of a kind - so am I! At least that’s what mom says so I mean we’re both special but we’re not alone or something Jarvis always says, he’s really smart you’ll like him but you can’t see him right now because I’m not allowed to leave my room so we have to wait until morning-”

“What’s your name kid?”

Tony puffs up and points his thumb at his chest. “My name is Tony Stark and I’m eight years old.”

The man huffs a laugh, but his heart didn’t seem to be in it and that’s _awful_ so Tony reaches out and on his - non-robot _damn_ \- arm and rubs little circles like Jarvis does for him.

All the strength seems to leave his cyborg intruder and he plops down on his plush carpet with a giant exhale, the shaking getting worse.

“Um!” Tony squeaks. “I’m sorry I don’t really know what to do I tried to do what Jarvis does but I think I made it worse I could get you some tea? I hate the stuff but my mom really loves it and drinks it to calm down but - oh jeez - okay I’m not allowed to leave my room but I will if you need me to and we could make some hot chocolate! I know tea is more for adults but sometimes they drink hot chocolate and I much prefer hot chocolate because it’s nice and warm on nights like this where it’s super cold- wait! You climbed in through the window! That must mean you’re really cold oh my goodness I’m so sorry I didn’t think here I’ll grab my blankets and cover you up and if we really need to we have a fireplace-”

The man shoves a hand over his mouth. “Kid, I’m begging you, stop talking. I know it’s weird that I climbed into your bedroom-” the man pauses, “Kid if someone crawls through your bedroom window you don’t fucking beg them to feel their arm oh my god you call the police.”

Tony licks the - metal! _oh my god_ \- hand and when that doesn’t work just juts his chin over the _freaking cool_ fingers. “Do you want me to call the police? Mom says only to call the police in an emergency. Are you having an emergency?”

The man huffs again and scrapes a hand down his face. “I guess? But don’t call the cops.”

Tony nods easily and grips the hand still inches from his face, running fingers over the grooves and moving the joints back and forth to see the plates shift. The man allows this which Tony counts as permission and just stares at him in curiosity.

“Wait.” He says and Tony freezes where he was bending the thumb the wrong way to test the resistance. “You said your name was Tony Stark? Like, Howard Stark?”

“H’yup.” He replies, resuming his experimenting. “He’s my dad.”

The man presses a his flesh hand to his head. “Christ.”

“What about you?” Tony asks, not taking his eyes off the wrist movements of the robot hand. “What’s your name?”

“I-” The man swallows. “I haven’t had a name for a long time.”

Tony raises and eyebrow at the man and remembers his previous hypothesis that the man was dumb. “You don’t remember your own name?”

He scowls and gently pushes Tony playfully. “I know my name, I just don’t know if I should use it.”

“Why not?” Tony says, rolling his eyes at the stupidity. His dad _hates_ stupid people. “It’s your name, you should use it.”

He cringes uncomfortably. “I guess.”

Tony tuts and lowers the hand, standing properly and waiting expectantly.

“Oh my god you’re annoying.” The man looks heavenward before extending a hand. “The name’s Bucky, Bucky Barnes.”

Tony takes his hand importantly. “And my name’s Bond, James Bond.”

The cheeky grin and wink may have been a little much but the amused grin on Bucky’s face is _so_ worth it.


End file.
